For a mixed adult Halloween party, a 70% cocoa bar is a starting point; offer an 85% or 90% bar separately if guests already enjoy more intense dark chocolate. Tesco’s listings for three Lindt Excellence 100g bars show 29g sugars per 100g at 70%, 15g at 85% and 7g at 90%, but those figures do not predict everyone’s taste. Check each current wrapper for ingredients and allergen warnings before serving.
A 70% bar can be the main shared option, with an 85% or 90% bar labelled separately for guests who already prefer a more intense cocoa flavour. Ask whether people want a piece of a sharing bar or an individually portioned sweet before choosing the format.
Keep the current wrappers where guests can read them. Tesco’s listings for Lindt Excellence 70%, 85% and 90% bars carry may-contain warnings involving different combinations of nuts, milk, soya and sesame; a high cocoa percentage is not an allergen-free claim.
Check the school’s food arrangements before choosing a Halloween menu. The Department for Education’s school-food guidance applies to England, and the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 define confectionery to include chocolate in any form. A higher cocoa percentage does not change that classification.
Choose the serving format and cocoa level for the guests, then check the exact pack for ingredients and allergen information.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa level and sweetness | Compare the stated cocoa-solids percentage and sugars per 100g on each bar. Tesco lists 29g sugars per 100g for Lindt Excellence 70%, 15g for 85% and 7g for 90%; those are figures for those specific bars. | For guests with mixed tastes, I would start with a 70% option. If some already prefer more intense dark chocolate, I could label an 85% or 90% bar separately. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and any may-contain statement. Keep the wrapper accessible after opening a sharing bar; do not infer suitability from its cocoa percentage. | I want guests to be able to check the exact product before taking a piece, particularly if they need allergen information. |
| Serving format | Distinguish a plain sharing bar from an individually portioned, dark-coated wafer. KitKat UK describes its 2 Finger Dark as a 20.7g wafer bar covered in dark chocolate, not as a 70%+ plain bar. | If I am setting out pieces for adults to share, a labelled bar may fit. For individual portions, I would check the format rather than assume every dark-labelled product is a plain chocolate bar. |
| Event setting | For food provided to pupils in England, confirm the school’s requirements before ordering. Department for Education guidance applies to England; the 2014 school-food regulations define chocolate as confectionery. Retail HFSS promotion rules are a separate matter from private-party serving. | I need to know whether this is a private gathering or food being provided through a school before planning what to serve. |
Cadbury Gifts Direct lists Darkmilk at 38% minimum cocoa solids, while KitKat UK describes 2 Finger Dark as a chocolate-covered wafer. Neither specification makes the product equivalent to a plain bar labelled 70%, 85% or 90% cocoa.
If high cocoa content is the reason for buying, check the percentage on the exact pack and whether the product is a plain bar, dark milk chocolate or a coated wafer.
Tesco’s Lindt Excellence listings show may-contain warnings on the 70%, 85% and 90% bars, with the named allergens differing between products. Cocoa percentage does not replace product-specific ingredient information.
Read the current wrapper, including its ingredients and precautionary statements, and leave it available for guests to consult.
England’s school-food framework needs a separate check: the Department for Education says its guidance applies to England, and the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 include chocolate in the definition of confectionery.
For food provided to pupils in England, confirm the menu with the school or catering lead rather than assuming a high-cocoa label changes how the product is classified.
These examples illustrate different cocoa levels and formats; the details apply to the named products, not every bar from each brand.
The Lindt Excellence 70%, 85% and 90% plain dark bars provide three labelled cocoa levels in the 100g products listed by Tesco.
Cadbury Darkmilk is a dark-milk option for guests who want that format instead of a 70%+ plain dark bar.
KitKat 2 Finger Dark offers an individually portioned, dark-chocolate-coated wafer format rather than a plain sharing bar.
These plain dark bars offer labelled cocoa levels from 70% to 85% for a Halloween sharing table. A separate higher-cocoa bar makes more sense when guests specifically want one; check each current wrapper before serving.
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A 70% cocoa sharing-bar option for a mixed adult group. Check the current wrapper for the flagged may-contain information concerning almonds, hazelnuts, milk and nuts.
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A 72% cocoa sharing bar for guests choosing a specified cocoa level near 70%. Check the current wrapper for soya and for the flagged may-contain information concerning gluten-containing cereals, milk, nuts and peanuts.
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An 85% cocoa option to label separately for guests who already enjoy more intense dark chocolate. Tesco lists 15g sugars per 100g for this bar and a may-contain warning for nuts, milk, soya and sesame seeds; check the current wrapper.
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A 90g bar to put out as a labelled 85% cocoa option, rather than assuming everyone wants the same intensity. Check the current wrapper for the flagged may-contain information concerning almonds, hazelnuts, milk and nuts.
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Another 85% cocoa sharing-bar choice for guests who prefer that level. Check the current wrapper for the flagged may-contain information concerning gluten-containing cereals, milk, nuts and peanuts.
For adults with mixed preferences, start with a 70% bar and add an 85% or 90% option if guests already enjoy more intense dark chocolate. Tesco’s Lindt Excellence listings show 29g, 15g and 7g sugars per 100g respectively for the three 100g bars, but the figures alone cannot tell you which flavour guests will prefer.
Yes. Tesco’s Lindt Excellence 70%, 85% and 90% listings carry may-contain warnings involving different combinations of nuts, milk, soya and sesame. Read the current wrapper and keep it available: GOV.UK’s allergen-labelling guidance says regulated allergens present in prepacked food must be clearly identified in the ingredients list.
No. KitKat UK describes 2 Finger Dark as a 20.7g wafer bar covered in dark chocolate; that description does not establish a 70%+ cocoa-solids percentage for the complete bar. Choose it for the portioned wafer format, not as a like-for-like substitute when a stated high cocoa percentage matters.
No: Department of Health and Social Care guidance addresses specified retail promotions and placement of foods high in fat, sugar or salt by businesses operating and selling in England, not serving chocolate at a private party. Food provided to pupils is a separate question; Department for Education school-food guidance applies in England, and the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 define chocolate as confectionery. Check the school’s arrangements for a school-provided event.